1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system that transmits localized information to a user's hand-held device.
2. Description of Related Art
There are well-known systems that provide users with information about relevant tourist attractions and retail stores in a given vicinity, provided that the user is within a pre-determined area on the map.
In addition, there are also well-known systems that anticipate a user's likely destination and which provide information about such things as tourist attractions and retail stores in the vicinity of anticipated destinations.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open-No. 2002-82982 describes a device that automatically generates search keys based on search categories or maps selected by the user. Using these search keys, users retrieve information regarding such things as available services and facilities. Only information relevant to nearby the user's location is displayed on the user's terminal.
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open-No. 2002-41612 describes an invention that provides to users appropriate information regarding such things as retail stores and tourist attractions based on the user's trip schedule inputted in advance.
The following explains the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open-No. 2000-215211. Firstly, this invention prepares an information processing device that stores a script that lists data regarding the names, information, and locations of retail stores and the names, information, and data comparing the current location to the location of tourist attractions, as well as related information. According to whether the aforementioned script was downloaded from the aforementioned information processing device ahead of time, it displays nearby retail store and tourist attraction information on the user's terminal when the user wishes.
The following explains the invention described in Japanese Published Examined Application No. 14-257813 (2002). This invention anticipates the user's destination from the direction and speed of his or her movement. Next, Selecting from among those firms providing information regarding the anticipated destination, the invention gets only information that matches categories previously inputted by the user from the firms. Next, the invention delivers the information to the user. The category is bus information or restaurants information etc.
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open-No. 11-91570 (1999) describes an invention that, using the route and fare information of the user's mode of transportation, provides the user with information about connections at the terminal (information for boarding another vehicle in the system) or transfers (information for using other modes of transportation).